by Angel Lawson
I didn’t have to brand Eden. She branded me.
“So,” I say, scratching the back of my neck, “something happened last night.”
He finishes his reps and places the weights back on the rack. “Okay.”
“Eden came over and we, uh, worked though some things.”
“What kind of things?”
“How we really feel about one another. Some of the baggage and guilt we’ve been carrying.” I slide a weight on the leg press. “That kind of thing.”
“Good.” He walks over to the pull-up bar and jumps up. While he lifts himself up and down, I grunt through the presses. My thighs are burning, and I’m working my way to number fifteen when I feel him standing over me. I exert all my energy and release the weight into a locked position, exhaling with relief.
“Did you sleep with her?”
My heart kicks into gear just hearing the question. I grab my towel and wipe my face. I’m not exactly sure how he’ll feel, so I hold back a fist pump and a grin, but say, “Yeah.”
His savvy eyes assess me, like he’s trying to read my mind, but in a blink a slow grin tugs at his lips. “Finally.”
I laugh. “Yeah. We had some shit to work out.”
He holds out his fist, and I knock my knuckles against his. He raises an eyebrow. “Good?”
“We took it slow, you know—”
“Yeah, I know.” He’s the one that told me she was still a virgin in the first place, like he knew it’d end up with me being the one.
“But I took care of her.”
He nods. “Good. She deserves it.”
That’s all we say, shifting back into our workouts. It’s a strange dynamic, but it’s better than fighting over a girl none of us would ever win on our own. She’s bigger than the three of us. Bigger than the K-Boys, and there may be some truth to the fact it’ll take all of us to be everything she needs.
20
Eden
I’m walking down the main staircase with Morgan when I see two custodians hanging a banner across the dining hall doorway.
Sophomore Valentine’s Dance
Curly hearts decorate the edges of the banner along with a date and time—the Saturday before Valentine’s Day.
“So, sophomores only?” I say as we pass underneath. “That’s not the worst idea.”
“Every year there’s one event specified for each grade. In the fall there’s a welcoming dance for all the freshman, you missed that. Then the Valentine’s Dance. Juniors have Prom and Seniors go on a class trip.”
“Does it really work, keeping the grades apart?” I think of the sparrow pins on all the younger classmen. They seem more and more interested in the older guys, who are more than willing to prey on them.
“I think it’s to encourage camaraderie—but like everything else at Sparrowood, all activities and events are tainted by the cliques and manipulators.”
I find out that I’m not the only one curious about this that afternoon when Dorian waits for Trip to leave the room and holds me, Gray, and Hawk back after detention.
A moment later, Theo walks in with damp hair and smelling of chlorine. “You wanted to see me?
“You’ve probably seen the announcements around school about the Valentine’s Dance,” he says, leaning against his desk. “I’d like you three and Theo to chaperone the dance.”
“Chaperone?” Gray asks, his voice incredulous. “Are you saying we’re the most reliable students at the school, because that means there’s a serious problem.”
“You guys are the most reliable students I have at my disposal. With the possibility of something going on with the pins that Eden has identified, and the fact Trip is still on campus and a party like this is a prime opportunity for him to amp up his business again, I really need a few people at the dance keeping an eye on things.”
Hawk’s shoulder brushes against mine, and my body heats inappropriately, like every other time I’ve seen him since we slept together. It doesn’t help that I’m surrounded by four handsome guys.
“No one is going to start much of anything with you around,” Dorian says to Hawk. The he looks at me. “And maybe the girls will reach out to you if there’s a problem. I know there’s been a social shift since…well, since Christmas, but you still helped a lot of them out with the self-defense class. If things go sideways, we need people there they can trust.”
“What about me?” Gray asks. “You just want me to sit around and charm underage girls?”
Dorian rolls his eyes. “You know every hide out, closet, back stairway, and alcove in this school. Make sure no one is sneaking off and getting into trouble.”
Gray smirks, pleased with himself. “I can handle that.”
“Theo, I need you to be on alert for any drugs or alcohol on the premises. I’m sure you can identify any red flags.”
“Yeah I can do that.”
Dorian reaches for his bag. “Until then, listen out for any issues. Something’s building, I can feel it.”
“Trip’s been quiet for too long,” I say.
He nods. “Exactly. We need to be prepared for what’s coming, because whatever he’s up to, it’s going to be big.”
The aquatic center looks completely different with bright sunlight streaming through the windows at the top of the wall. In the morning, it’s peaceful—quiet. Just me and Theo as we use the water as a type of therapy, working through our fears and issues. Now loud voices bounce off the pool deck, competing with the shouts of coaches, the swimmers in the water and the fans in the stands.
The bleachers are filled with students and families, swimmers huddle on benches against the walls. Banners are hung over the student section, separating Sparrowood from Brentwood Academy.
“I have his heat numbers,” Gray says, squeezing into the bleachers next to me, holding up a sheet of paper. Hawk sits on my other side, hand planted firmly on my thigh. “He’s got five events. Two relays and three individual.”
Two months ago I would have had no comprehension of the terms Gray is using. Heats and events? I’d never been to a swim meet in my life, but now that Theo is on the team, I’m happy to learn everything about the sport so I can be supportive.
“Excuse me, sorry, excuse me,” Rochelle says, stepping over people to sit behind me. Morgan and Stella come with her, each in their Sparrowood spirit wear. Rochelle has cut hers to shreds, revealing her stomach and a sparkling jewel she recently had pierced in her belly button. “Hey, guys.”
“Hey, Ro,” I say. The guys say hi to the girls, and Gray shares the sheet with them. I scan the pool deck, looking for Theo. It’s a sea of bare skin and well-defined bodies, but it only takes a moment for me to zero in on his broad shoulders that taper down to his stacked abs and cut waist. He’s in a Speedo, barely clinging to his hips. He pulls off his swim cap and shakes out his hair.
My stomach threatens to bottom out.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Rochelle mutters in my ear. “Why didn’t you tell me Theo was packing alllllllll that under his hoodie?”
My cheeks heat at the implication, only amplified because my other two boyfriends are packed in by my side. I’ve told Rochelle a little about what’s been going on between us. She almost threw me a party when she found out about me and Hawk.
“I knew that white panty set would do the trick.”
I watch Theo as he walks over to the bench, grabs his towel, and wraps it around his waist. He looks up into the bleachers, makes eye contact, and smiles.
I grab the sheet of paper and fan myself. The indoor pool is always steamy, and big fans ventilate the massive space, but I think everyone around me knows what the answer is when I ask, “Is it hot in here or just me?”
Three races down and Theo is killing it, coming in first in all his heats. My voice is raw from screaming and I’m dying for a water. There’s a break between his events and I say, “I’m going down to go check on him and then get a drink, anyone want anything?”
“No thanks,” Ro
says.
“You guys?” I ask Morgan and Stella.
They both shake their heads.
Hawk gives my waist a squeeze. “Bring me a Coke?”
“You’ve got it.”
I step over Gray, who doesn’t mind a bit when my ass is in his face. I look over my shoulder and see him smile cheekily. It takes me a while to get to the floor, and I text Theo on the way.
E-Meet me?
T-By the back hall?
E-Yep
After all the mornings at the pool, I’m pretty familiar with the territory, and I have to pass the Brentwood section to get to the back hall. The hall leads down to the locker rooms and a few coaching offices. As I pass a group of Brentwood students, dressed in royal blue, one guy lifts his head in acknowledgement. He’s cute, but not familiar. I avert my eyes and keep walking. I’ve already got my hands full with private-school boys. I definitely don’t need another.
I get to the hallway and wait, seeing Theo talking to his coach before walking my way. I feel the gaze of the Brentwood kid on me without even looking back at the bleachers. Theo walks up, loose, flannel, plaid pants in our school colors hanging from his hips. His smile is sexy and proud.
“You’re doing awesome,” I tell him, lunging at him for a hug. His body is warm from the exertion, and he smells fresh and clean. Faint indentions from his goggles linger under his eyes.
“It feels amazing to be back out there.” Worry flickers across his face. “My next race is the big one. Fifty-fly.”
“That’s the one you broke the record on.”
“Yeah,” he rubs his hair anxiously. “I know it’s been a long time, but it’s kind of a personal goal to prove I still have it after all this time.”
“You’re going to do great.”
“Maybe.”
There’s a sense of pressure I’ve never seen in him before. Theo is always the most laid-back of the guys. He’s nervous and wound-up. I run my hand up his shoulder and massage his muscle. “You’re really tense.”
“I need to chill out,” he confesses. I pull him close, and his hips brush into mine and I can feel him through the thin material. “Sorry, I’m just really amped up. Seeing you just makes it a million times worse.”
He’s nearly vibrating, and I get the strangest sense of what he may have been like, looking for a fix. He’d said before he didn’t want to replace his addiction with me, but now that I think about it…
“You got a minute?”
His eyebrows furrow. “The five-hundred is starting. I’ve got thirty minutes.”
I’m not sure what that means, other than a lot of laps. I slip my fingers in his, and tug him down the hall. I take one look back over my shoulder and see that same kid watching me. Hopefully if he sees me walk off with Theo, he’ll get the picture.
Theo’s fingers clench mine, and he takes the lead, pulling me down the hall, past the locker rooms and offices. At the end is a door with a frosted glass window. He yanks it open and we step inside. It’s a training room, with weights and mats on the floor. Several padded tables sit in the middle of the room for massage and physical therapy.
“I didn’t know this was down here,” I say, turning to face him.
“Me either until I strained a muscle, and Coach Spinks sent me down here the other day.”
With his hands on my hips, he steers me toward one of the tables. I stop when my butt hits the side. He doesn’t waste any time, bending down to kiss me. His mouth is warm on mine and with his help I lift myself up on the table, wanting to get closer to him. He’s so freaking tall.
I run my hands over his smooth chest, feeling his strength, his athletic power, yet he trembles under my touch, body quaking.
“Tell me what you need.”
He looks at me, eyes focused and intent. “Just you.”
I spread my legs and yank him by the waist so he’s standing between my thighs. He kisses me and fumbles with the button on my jeans, his mouth hungry and his hands eager. I lift up, giving him space to tug them over my hips and I pull at the flannel pants, push at the tiny Speedo. There’s a different sort of urgency growing between us, fueled by adrenaline; the risk of getting caught, his competitive energy, the fact this isn’t my first time anymore. There’s no fear, just want.
Even so, Theo isn’t sloppy or rushed. He pushes one hand up my shirt and fondles me how I like. I hold his length in my hand, stroking him until his jaw is tight, the muscles in his neck strained and his teeth bite down on my bottom lip.
I shift to the edge of the table and his hands move down my back, holding me close, until the slick tip of his cock rubs against the wet desire building between my legs. He looks in my eyes, making sure this is what I want. I answer with a kiss and a hand on his cock, guiding him in.
It’s not as smooth as being with Hawk. The position awkward. But the thrill of being with him—being there for him—cancels all that out, and soon I’m caught in the moment of it all. The way he feels inside me, the way our bodies work together. He’s so powerful. So magnificent. I can’t stop looking at his defined chest and stomach, at the curve of his biceps.
He may not be the only one addicted in the relationship.
Euphoria washes over me as my nerves set on fire, and I grip the edge of the table, holding on tight as he groans his release. He looks up at me, and I push the sweaty hair off his forehead. The manic spark in his eyes gone, replaced by something cooler—calmer.
“I never thought you’d be the one to get it quick and dirty in a public place,” I tease as we sort our clothes.
“Thought that’d be Gray, huh?”
I laugh. Pretty much.
He smooths his hands over my shoulders, straightening the fabric.
“Thank you.” He touches my chin. “I promise next time there will be flowers and music—”
“A bed, maybe?”
He smiles. “Definitely.”
I rest my hand on his heart. “If something disastrous happens out there, and I know it won’t, please don’t blame me, okay?”
He bends to kiss me once more. The sweep of his tongue is back to the easy, controlled boy I’ve come to love during our time in the water. Confident. Sure. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, Princess, whether I win or lose today.”
We walk down the narrow hall and the sound of the crowd increases with every step. He remains calm and squeezes my hand before darting across the pool deck, joining the rest of his team.
I remember that I’m supposed to not only be getting a water but a soda for Hawk. I head to the concession table and get in line.
“I didn’t know Sparrowood was part of your territory,” a voice says behind me.
I turn and see the guy from before—the one from Brentwood.
“Excuse me?”
A small line appears on his forehead and confusion briefly flickers in his eyes. “You changed your hair.”
“My what? Do I know you?” I ask.
He laughs. “I know I’m not your only customer, but ouch, that hurts.”
The person in front of me moves forward and I take a step away. “I think you’ve got me confused for someone else.”
His eyes skim the pool deck, settling on Theo. In a low voice he says, “I think that you’re a smarter business woman than I realized. Hitting up sporting events and helping the athletes take off the edge. That’s brilliant. How much do you charge for that?”
I stare at him, incredulous, but he can’t stop talking. “Listen, this thing is boring as hell. I only came to support my roommate, but if you’ve got time for a quickie in the back, I’ll happily pay.” His eyes rake down my body. “You’re worth it.”
He reaches in his pocket and shows me a roll of cash.
I take a step back, getting out of line. I crash into something—no someone—hard.
“Everything okay?” Hawk asks, gripping my arms protectively.
The guy looks at Hawk, his size and demeanor, and snorts. “Yeah, I was just catching up with an
old friend.”
“We’re not friends. I’ve never met you before.”
“Sure, whatever. It was worth a shot.”
I grab Hawk's hand and he leads me away. A slow, uneasy feeling spreads in my stomach. Not because I think I know this guy, but I know that I don’t. He, on the other hand, is convinced he’s seen me before. With different hair.
He thinks we’ve fucked before and he’s willing to pay for it, again.
“Any idea what that was about?” he asks, glancing over my head at the kid still in line.
“Yeah, I do.” I swallow back the bile rising in the back of my throat. “He tried to pay me for sex.”
“He what?” He moves in his direction, fists already balled. I stop him.
“He thinks I’m a whore.”
“Why the fuck would he think that?”
“Because he thinks I’m Hope.”
21
Eden
“Did you know about this?”
“You love to talk in riddles, sweetheart. What exactly are we talking about?”
We’re the first two people in the detention room, which is why he dares to call me “sweetheart.” His legs are stretched into the empty seat in front of his, and he’s drawing round circles on a blank sheet of paper.
It had taken everything in me not to go find him the night before, but Hawk reminded me we were there for Theo. I’d wanted to argue, I’d wanted to take this little detail about my sister and chase down the thread, but the look in his eye held a warning. I’d promised to let this go. To stop making her a priority. So we stayed and watched Theo in the fifty-free. Thank god we did. It was, to put it lightly, exhilarating watching him race down the lane, body moving like a sleek machine. He came in first. Beat his record. He shook his competitors' hands and looked up in the stands.
Hawk kissed my neck, letting me know I’d done the right thing, even though it was hard.
But it’s a day later, and I’ve got Trip alone.
“Did you know Hope was whoring herself out to high school kids?”